Lankan early batting flops, but recover to make 210-9 dec.

Prasanna Jayawardena top scores with 58 n.o.

Elmo RODRIGOPULLE Reporting

Pace was the undoing of the Sri Lankan early batsmen as they cut a sorry figure on the first day of their three-day encounter against Queensland at the Allan Border Field, here today.

At the close, the Lankans who struggled early on, going to lunch at 81 for 6 recovered well to declare at 210 for nine, thanks to fighting knocks by Prasanna Jayawardena, Farveez Maharoof and Malinga Bandara, hit back strongly to have the home team wriggling on 60 for 4 when bad light stopped play with 5.4 overs remaining to be bowled.

Queensland batsmen out were Jimmy Maher 4, Ryan Broad 12, Andrew Symonds 22 and Chris Simpson without scoring. Lasith Malinga and Ferveez Maharoof had two wickets each for 23 and 19 respectively.

Queensland skipper Jimmy Maher won the toss and asked Sri Lanka in. Maher’s decision to put the Lankans in would have been prompted by the fact that the wicket was covered and the early moisture on the wicket would help his pacemen.

Maher’s decision to send the Lankans in seemed to be good one, as his pacemen especially Ashley Noffke worked up good pace and had the early batting in disarray. Noffke who many think should have been in the Aussie Test squad, did not give the batsmen any respite.

One expected the frontline Lankan batsmen to make use of the opportunity and stay long at the wicket what with the all important First Test starting next Thursday. But their technique against the moving ball seemed to be very poor as most of the batsmen were caught in the slip and gully cordon.

Marvan Atapattu who is a certainty to partner Sanath Jayawardena in the Gabba Test was the only early batsman to stand up to the pace of Noffke and Mitchell Johnson who has been named in the Aussie Test squad.

Atapattu as usual was his calm and collected self, getting in line and offering a straight bat and the pacemen found it hard to breach his defence. He played his lovely signature cover drives and it was a nice sight to see him negotiate the pacemen and give the other batsmen a lesson on how to face good swing bowling.

Atapattu was unfortunate to miss a second half century being out for 48 at the stroke of lunch. He hit 9 fours.

When Sri Lanka went to lunch at 81 for 6 having lost Sanath Jayasuriya for 1, Michael Vandort 4, Mahela Jayawardena without scoring, Tilan Samaraweera 7, Chamara Silva run out for nought and Atapattu for 48, it looked as though the Lankans would be struggling to make a competitive total.

But after the break the wicket which offered life and movement to the pacemen eased considerably and the batsmen who followed, especially wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardena was able to play his natural strokes and given good support by Ferveez Maharoof 20 with 3 fours and Malinga Bandara 43 took the Lankans to respectability and allowed Jayawardena the luxury of making a declaration, which at one stage looked a distant dream.

Mahela Jayawardena who is struggling to gain form was out cheaply again going leg before wicket and the decision by the umpire did not appear to seem right as the ball struck him too high.

After Noffke’s early blast, the other Queensland bowlers failed to capitalise and with Prasanna Jayawardena and Bandara getting on top, they just seemed to be mediocre.

It was creditable that the remaining batsmen rallied and from 81 for six, it was encouraging to note that the next three batsmen added 129 before Jayawardena declared the innings at 210 for nine, when Bandara was out for a plucky 43. He had 8 fours and one six.

Jayawardena and Bandara added 71 for the ninth wicket. Jayawardena the mainstay of the Lankan batting remained unbeaten with a confidently compiled 58. He hit 9 fours and this knock should give him the much needed confidence for the big games ahead.

While Noffke and Michael Kasprovicz impressed, it was not a good outing for Mitchell Johnson who is expected to make his Test debut against the Lankans. The left armer who bowled at good speed and who should be knowing all about his home wicket had only one wicket to show for his trouble.

Noffke who had the excellent figures of 5 for 36 in 14 overs once again nudged the selectors.

The Sri Lankans made three changes for this game from the team that played in Adelaide. In came Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Chamara Silva and out went Jehan Mubarak, Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitheran.

Allan Border Field Brisbane, Friday

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SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS

S. Jayasuriya c Simpson b Noffke 1

M. Atapattu c Noffke b Johnson 48

M. Vandort c Bichel b Noffke 4

M. Jayawardene lbw b Noffke 0

T. Samaraweera c Hartley b Kasprowicz 7

C. Silva run out 0

P. Jayawardene not out 58

F. Maharoof c Simpson b Noffke 20

C. Vaas c and b Noffke 13

M. Bandara c Noffke b Kasprowicz 43

Extras (b4, lb8, nb4) 16

TOTAL (9 wkts declared, 63.2 overs) 210

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-2 (Jayasuriya), 2-12 (Vandort), 3-14 (Jayawardene), 4-41 (Samaraweera), 5-45 (Silva), 6-81 (Atapattu), 7-115 (Maharoof), 8-139 (Vaas), 9-210 (Bandara).

BOWLING: Johnson 13-3-39-1, Noffke 14-3-36-5 (4nb), Kasprowicz 13.2-5-28-2, Bichel 10-1-49-0, Symonds 5-1-22-0, Doran 7-1-21-0, Simpson 1-0-3-0.

QUEENSLAND 1ST INNINGS

J. Maher lbw b Malinga 4

R. Broad b Maharoof 12

C. Perren not out 19

A. Symonds c P Jayawardene b Maharoof 22

C. Simpson c Samaraweera b Malinga 0

A. Bichel not out 0

Extras (lb2, nb1) 3

TOTAL (4 wkts, 18.2 overs) 60

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-5 (Maher), 2-26 (Broad) , 3-59 (Symonds), 4-60 (Simpson)

BOWLING: Vaas 6-2-17-0 (1nb), Malinga 6.2-1-23-2, Maharoof 6-2-18-2.